Friday, January 11, 2008

T.G.I. Pizza

The Chef: Colleen

The Menu: Could there be a tastier way to wrap up our first full week back at the VNHQ? Using fresh, organic ingredients—and a whole lotta love—Ms. Colleen lavished our senses with this colorful spread: focaccia pizza, loaded up with artichoke hearts, red peppers, olives, Cheezly, and topped with fresh rosemary and oregano plucked straight from our backyard (okay—the pot in our driveway). Keeping in line with this week's soup theme, we warmed our bellies with a thick coconut corn chowder, garnished with fresh lime and spinach. Finally, a spoonful of fresh lemon juice and olive oil went a long way tossed with romaine hearts and local cherry tomatoes.

The Goods: Today's meal was the perfect antidote to any vegan diet naysayers; VN's busy associate publisher donned her chef hat for a mere 30 minutes, turning out these simple yet sensational dishes, proving once again that vegans are as resourceful as they are nourished. With a little practice, anyone can learn to turn a few basic ingredients into a mouthwatering masterpiece. Don't have any freshly baked vegan focaccia bread on hand? You can whip up your own pizza using almost any flat-bread, including pitas or tortilla wraps. Have your own pizza protocol? We'd love to here all about it!